A.

Romero 2009

The Activity Series for Single Displacement Reactions

CHEM 30A

Activity Series:

Metals Non-metals
and H (Halogens)

Higher oxidation potential K F2 Higher reduction potential

(greater tendency to form cations) (greater tendency to form anions)
Ca Cl2
Na Br2
Mg I2
Al
Zn Increasing Activity
Fe
Ni
Sn
Pb
H
Cu
Ag
Hg
Au

A more active element (higher on the table above) will form an ion and displace the ion of like charge
from the compound. The displaced ion will become a neutral element (see diatomic elements below).

Al + PbCl2  ?
Al forms cations, and
Predict products: Al + PbCl2  AlCl3 + Pb is more active than Pb

Balance: 2 Al + 3 PbCl2  2 AlCl3 + 3 Pb

Cl2 + FeBr3  ?
Cl forms anions, and
Predict products: Cl2 + FeBr3  FeCl3 + Br2 is more active than Br

Balance: 3 Cl2 + 2 FeBr3  2 FeCl3 + 3 Br2

A less active element (lower on the table) cannot displace the ion from the compound, therefore, there
will be no reaction.

Pb + AlCl3  ?
Pb forms cations, but
Predict products: Pb + AlCl3  no reaction is less active than Al

Br2 + FeCl3  ?
Br forms anions, but
Predict products: Br2 + FeCl3  no reaction is less active than Cl

Diatomic elements:
There are seven elements that exist as diatomic (two atom) neutral molecules:

Br I N Cl H O F

These elements can have a subscript of one if they are an ion or part of a compound, but will pair up
(subscript of two) when alone and neutral.

Example: oxygen

O2–  okay (ion)

H2 O  okay (compound)

O  not okay (alone and neutral)

write O2 instead

When a non-metal ion is being displaced, be sure to check whether or not the neutral element produced
is diatomic.